Accident Investigation
Day One of the aftermath:
VEHICLE #1: BLUE, 1994, DODGE, RAM 350, VAN, USA LIC G4357069, TMP HQ 036.
DAMAGE: THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE. FRONT FRAME BENT, MOTOR MOUNTS BENT, FRONT STEERING ARMS BENT, FRONT BUMPER CRUSHED IN CENTER APPROX. 2’, HOOD CRUSHED, FRONT WIND SHIELD SHATTERED, DRIVER’S SIDE DOOR BENT, RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLOWN AND RIM BENT, RIGHT SIDE SUSTAINED SEVERAL DENTS AND SCRATCHES, ECOR: TOTAL LOST.
PROPERTY DAMAGE: METAL HAND RAIL, 16’ IN LENGTH
DAMAGE: HAND RAIL CEMENTED TO THE SIDEWALK, ALL 5 METAL LEGS WERE SHEARED OFF LEVEL WITH THE SIDEWALK.
VEHICLE #1 (SUTTON), WITH MAW AND OSBORNE (PASSENGERS) WERE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON CPL EVANS RD. SUTTON FAILED TO NEGOTIATE THE CURVE, STRUCK THE CURB, CONTINUED FORWARD ON THE SIDEWALK AND STRUCK THE HANDRAIL WITH THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, COMING TO ITS RESTING POINT WHEN IT STRUCK THE TELEPHONE POLE, CAUSING THE ABOVE LISTED DAMAGE AND INJURIES.
STATEMENTS: SUTTON (DRIVER) SAID AT THE SCENE THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID HE HAD BLURRED VISION AND DID NOT SEE THE ROAD.
MAW … SAID THAT SUTTON HAD IGNORED THE STOP SIGN ADJACENT TO BLDG #622 (C CO) AND WHEN WE TURNED ONTO CPL EVANS RD. HE ACCELERATED TO AROUND 40/45 MPH, BRAKED HARD TO TURN RIGHT AND ACCELERATED AGAIN. MAW SAID SUTTON COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE TO NEGOTIATE THE CURVE, STRUCK THE CURB, WENT ON THE SIDEWALK AND STRUCK THE TELEPHONE POLE.
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT SUTTON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN EXCESSIVE SPEED, AS DETERMINED BY THE DISABLING DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE VEHICLE AND STATEMENTS MADE BY MAW AND OSBORNE. SUTTON SHOWED NO REGARD FOR HIS OR HIS PASSENGERS [sic] SAFETY.
From Federal Police Report No. 02068-94 as investigated by FPO Salvador Perez
The patient … sustained an L3-4 Chance fracture extending through the L3-4 disc space fracturing up through the interior end-plate of L-3 posteriorly through both pedicles in the transverse processes of L3.
At his 6 month evaluation, he continued to have intermittent problems with low back pain while in his brace as well as complaints of numbness and parasthesias in the right L3 nerve root distribution of a patchy nature. His physical examination at that time revealed patches of decreased pin sensation of 50 to 100% within the L3 dermatome. The rest of his neurological examination was normal. Neuro imaging revealed that his nondisplaced fracture had healed through both pedicles and through both transverse processes; however, the fracture through the posterior aspect of inferior L3 had actually increased its gap suggesting that disc material might be present stenting the fracture line open.
[Osborne] underwent a L3 hemilaminectomy for L3-4 discectomy, decompression of right L3 nerve root and removal of posterior fragment of L3 Chance fracture.
Physical examination is now remarkable for the majority of the regions of his L3 nerve root now having only 10-20% hypesthesia, hypalgesia whereas he has a few smaller areas of more significant 50% decreased pin sensation.
Medical board report 26 April 1995, signed by E.S. Nelson, CDR, MC, USNR and M.E. Linskey, LCDR MC USNR.
